I recently traded for this Gold Mallard at a gun show, and was wondering if anyone could tel me more about it. Most of these iv'e seen have Birds on both sides of the reciever, and have AL390 in the description. this one has A390 in the script and a retreiver in gold on the left side with, the bird in gold on the right. any information would be appricieatedthanksjbhttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/displayimage.php?album=1&pos=2

Nice guns one of my favorite actually. They made a few different sub models of the AL390 two of which were the silver and gold malard the silver malard was a little simpler with minor scroll engraving while the gold malard had more intricate engraving with gold inlays and higher quality wood. The gold malard was basicly the top of the line product in the AL390 guns.

The answer to the "A vs "AL" question is that he first few years of the 390 production in the 90s were called "A 390" , they have a steel magazine tube and more steel in the barrel attaching nut. After a couple years the AL 390 was produced and it has an aluminium magazine tube the majority of the barrel nut is aluminium. There is very little difference in weight. I have compared a plastic stocked Al390 and a wood stocked A390 and found them to weigh the same. The heavier A390 could be preferred for targets and a aluminium nut could be used if you wanted it to be lighter in the front. As far as I know the other parts are the same all the way up to the current production 390 and 3901. Both "A" and "AL" in the 90s had a metal trigger guard but the ones made after the 391 model began have a plastic guard like the 391 reducing the weight a bit more

I would be interested as to what year that gun was mfg. I found the little rectagle under the reciever in the front of the reciever. Mine has the code MB (at least that is what I remember)Mine is an AL390 Gold Mallard and was mfg.in 1999. it has different Gold Inlays (birds)I have a wal mart 390 as well. I like them a lot. Nice guns